I’m starting to wonder if I ordered the 2-inch Rough Country leveling spacers too soon. Now I’m thinking I should have gone with the AutoSpring 1.5-inch spacer instead.
I have a 2019 Ford F-150 SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot bed. It’s an FX4 and has the 3.5 Ecoboost engine. Right now, when I measure from the ground to the bottom of the fender (using the center of the wheel as the middle), the front is at 37.25 inches and the rear is at 40.25 inches, so there’s a 3-inch difference. The 2-inch Rough Country spacer should give me a 1-inch rake, which I’m fine with.
I’ve seen some pictures of trucks with the 2-inch spacer, and the front looks higher than the rear. I don’t want that. It’s not that it’s wrong; I just prefer it my way.
I learned that the spacer isn’t actually 2 inches thick; it has a certain thickness that raises the front by 2 inches by extending the other front suspension parts. I think the weight of the engine might affect how much the spacer lifts the front. I haven’t looked it up, but I assume the 5.0 V8 is heavier than my 3.5 Ecoboost V6. So, if my front end is lighter, it might lift more. Or am I overthinking this?
My goal is to have a slight forward rake when I’m done. I want the front to be a little lower than the rear so that when I load up the bed, the front doesn’t pop up.
I’m 99.9% sure I’m going with 285/60/R20 tires, either BFG KO2 or Toyo Open Country RT. Unless someone can tell me why I shouldn’t.
I did the same with my last truck. I added 2 inches to level it, but after a while, it got higher in the front from towing and carrying stuff. So, I had to put a bigger block in the back. The factory block was 1.25 inches, and I replaced it with a 2-inch block. This gave me a slight tilt, which I liked better than having it completely level.
If you don’t tow or carry heavy loads, the 2 inches should work well for you.
I’ve tried two different lift kits on previous F150s (both 2017), and neither of them gave me the height they promised. I’ve been on this forum for a couple of years, and that happens a lot. Most people end up getting about a quarter to half an inch less lift than expected. The 2.5-inch kit gave me 2 inches, and the 2.25-inch kit gave me 1.75 inches after a week of settling and getting the alignment done.
You should think about whether you’d prefer it to be a little high or a little low. If you want it a bit higher and want more rake, it’s easier to add a taller block in the back. I recommend going with the 2 inches. As for how it affects the height related to the engine, it doesn’t really matter. Since the puck sits on top, the spring rate and load stay the same before and after installing it, so the spring will compress the same amount whether you use the puck or not.
That’s strange. I’m not saying I don’t believe you; it just seems unusual. The only way that could happen is if the level kit gave you 3 inches, or if your back was only 2 inches higher than the front to start with. But almost all these trucks are 3 inches higher in the back, whether they’re 2WD or 4WD. At least that’s how it was with my three SuperCrew trucks!
Right now, my truck’s back is exactly 3 inches higher than the front. I’m worried about the 2-inch lift I have ready to install. I wonder if I should go with a 1.5-inch lift instead.
I agree, it is strange. I thought I would still have a slight rake. I measured the difference before the installation and was surprised it ended up perfectly level. But I love how it looks!
This is my concern. I put the 2 inch spacer in thinking I’m going to have 1 inch left of rake left, but it ends up being level. I want to have some rake left. I’d like to have about that 1 inch that you’d expect based off the height difference from front to rear. I’m leaning more towards the 1.5 now. Not to mention the 1.5 will put a little less stress on the front end parts.
After doing some more research, it seems like to install the 1.5-inch spacer, you need to cut or grind down the studs on the truck. Is that correct? If so, that feels a bit too permanent for me.
